Omari Wrote the Winning Story

A good neighbour – the winning entry
Written by Omar Omar, age 15 (not in the photograph)

One upon a time, all people in Dzunga village lived in the same community. They were different but they usually worked together happily. They were draughts and all rivers were dry so nowhere to have water. They decide to dig a well because they wanted water to cure their thirst.

They arranged the duties were arranged according to days of a week each day have its people to dig. On the first Monday they told Mzee Ali to come and dig a well with us.Mzee Ali was lazy and selfish. He was having a horse and he was use his horse to go to other place to have water he said ‘I won’t come’. Mzee Ali said ‘I am not like you, can’t you see you walk with foot and I’m riding a horse’ he laughed and go away.The same thing happen the next day. The people who had horse were even digging the well, but he couldn’t. Someone asked him ‘it’s now the turn for all people who had horses come go do it.’

‘Get lost!’ said Mzee Ali proudly. ‘I am not like you.’ Then draught came everywhere even the place where he usually get water. As people went to drink water Mzee Ali run to them.

‘Please let me drink water with you. See I’m very thirsty.’ ‘No. No!’ exclaimed someone ‘you don’t look like us. That’s why you refused to dig a well with us.’ Mzee Ali begged and cried, but the other people just laughed as they drank water.

Finally Mzee Ali ‘please forgive me. I have learnt my lesson. A good neighbour is a like relative. I should have dug well with you. Now I offer to build a fence around it. And since I see well at night I will guard it every night so that no one from across the border will steal the water at night.’

It was only after he asked to be forgiven Mzee Ali was allowed to drink water from the well.